About

 

Kim Cameron-Smith

Kim Cameron-Smith is a trusts and estates attorney and the founder of Fidelitas Law. Kim’s own father died unexpectedly in 2004 without an estate plan or instructions for his family. She experienced first-hand the chaos and pain of mourning a death while trying to sort out a decedent’s estate. Kim is passionate about helping her clients with all aspects of legacy planning and trust and estate administration.

Before beginning her practice at Fidelitas Law, Kim was a trusts and estates attorney at a Bay Area boutique law firm. She also has practice experience in criminal law, and she served for 8 years as a staff attorney for a state-wide homeschooling non-profit organization. During law school, she clerked at a multinational law firm and the U.S. Attorneys Office.

In her free time, Kim enjoys sewing, reading, cooking, and hanging out with her husband and children.

Education

  • U.C. Berkeley Law School, J.D.
  • Harvard University, M.T.S.
  • Oxford University, M.Phil.
  • Wellesley College, B.A.

Professional Memberships

  • California Bar Association
  • Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council
  • East Bay Trusts and Estates Lawyers
  • Catholic Bar Association

 

The Fidelitas Way

1

Client Centered

We treat our clients like people first, not dollar signs. We are empathetic listeners. From intake, to drafting, to fee payments, we strive to make your experience as smooth and effortless as possible.

2

Loyal and Respectful

We respond to clients promptly, and we keep you informed about your matter. We treat you the way we want to be treated. We explain what you can expect, when to expect it, and how much it will cost.

3

Committed to Excellence

While we have great regard for the traditions of the legal industry, we think outside the box and work tirelessly to ensure our clients receive the quality and care they deserve.

Contact Us

How Much Does It Cost?

Fair question! At Fidelitas Law, we are transparent with our pricing. Kim’s hourly rate is $350 per hour, and she will give you a ballpark idea of how many hours she expects to spend on your matter. However, many matters work best with a flat fee agreement because the client can freely ask questions without worrying about the billable hour.

Kim will explain your billing options to you, but ultimately, you will decide on the fee structure. To give you some insight, this tabbed section provides a general overview of our current fees for most matters.

If you require the preparation of only a single estate planning document, such as a Will or a durable power of attorney, we typically recommend that you pay on an hourly basis.

The cost of a complete estate plan will vary depending on the complexity of your situation, but following our our minimum fees for our estate planning packages. A package typically includes a trust, pourover Will, power of attorney, health care directive, certification of trust, assignment of assets, property agreement (married couples), and trust transfer deed.

  • couple no home: $2500
  • single person no home: $2000
  • couple with one home: $3000
  • single person with one home: $2500

If you don’t require all the documents in the package you select, we can tailor the fee for you. We require a $1000 deposit on estate planning packages, and the fee balance is due upon delivery of your drafts.

Kim generally recommends that trust administrations be handled on an hourly basis, but she is happy to discuss a flat fee with you if you prefer that structure.

Attorney fees in probates are set by statute and are based on the gross value of the estate:

  • 4% on the first $100,000
  • 3% on the next $100,000
  • 2% on the next $800,000
  • 1% on the next $9,000,000

Note that attorneys are paid for their work at the end of the probate process and only by court order. You will be billed for costs we advance on your behalf (such as courier and filing fees), but otherwise you will not pay us until the end of probate.

We recommend a flat fee for conservatorships. Our flat fee for most conservatorships is $5000 and includes the preparation of all initial filings, arranging notice, preparing post-appointment filings, attending your hearing, and the filing of the General Plan. We handle only uncontested conservatorships. We require a $1000 deposit. Another $2000 payment is due after the filing of your petition, and the balance is due after the hearing on the petition.